Seaming apparatus



P. BOGNER sEAMING APPARATUS- Filed Feb. 28, 1938 July 22, 1941.

l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PETER BOG/VER TTORNE YS July 22, 1941. p, BOGNER 2,250,002

sEAMING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 2 l N V E NTOR PETER Bow/ER ATTORNEYS Patented July 22, 1941 sEAMING APPARATUS Peter Bogner, London, England, assignor to Saml. Hanson & Son Limited, London, England, a

British company Application February 28, 1938, Serial No. 192,989 In Great Britain November 9, 1937 4 Claims. (Cl. 113-19) This invention consists of improvements in apparatus for making tins or sheet metal containers, cans and the like of the Well known kind having a closure member provided with a marginal flange which is interfolded with an out-turned flange at the end of the can-body so that the marginal flange lies outside and embraces the outer wall of the can-body. Interfolding of the marginal flange of the closure and the can-body may be effected in several different ways but the present invention is directed to interfolding by the known operation of double or multiple seaming.

In the manufacture of canisters there is a well-established practice in attaching the closure to the can-body. This is effected by the use of `a seam-forming machine which normally embodies a fiat cylindrical chuck or anvil which lies, within the dished portion of the closure to contact with the walls thereof and a roller or Arollers arranged to engage with the marginal flange of the closure, the roller or rollers being rotatable on a spindle parallel to the axis of the container, which spindle is moved round the axis of the container, means being provided also to move the roller or rollers towards the can-body to form and to compress the seam.

The invention relates particularly to the manufacture oi tins orsheet metal containers, cans and the like which are provided with an opening device comprising a Wire which is housed Within the pressed circumferential portion with an end protruding through the closure to the outside thereof to provide a purchase for opening the can without the use of a separate can-ripping instrument. Such opening-Wires are commonly termed rip-wires and will so be referred to hereinafter.

,More specifically the present-invention is concerned with apparatus for seaming end-closures of the form constituting the subject-matter of my copending United States Patent application Serial No. 191,230 iiled February 18, 1938, and which comprise a central depression to fit Within the mouth of a can to be closed and a marginal portion constituting a iiange for interfolding with the can-body characterised by the fact that the material of the closure is continued outwardly' from the depression in the form of a narrow shoulder reaching to a Wire-supporting wall which extends to the marginal flange and upon which a rip-wire is intended to be held inside the closure, and an opening to the outside of the closure is formed close to the said wall through which the rip-Wire may pass for ripping the closure open.

An object of the invention is to provide appa- Vratus for seaming end-closures of the form described which may readily be applied to existing seam-forming machinery.

A further object of the invention is to provide seaming apparatus by means of which the disposition of the rip-wire within a ridge which affords said wire-supporting wall and the compression of the ridge during the seaming operation can be determined with exactitude.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby precise alignment between the chuck and seaming roller or rollers can readily be secured and maintained during seaming.

The invention accordingly comprises in apparatus for seaming end-closures of the form described, the employment of a chuck which fits the depression in the end-closure to support the side-walls thereof during seaming, the said chuck having a peripheral step which is shaped to overlap` the narrow shoulder between the depressed central portion and the ridge of the closure so as to maintain the shoulder andto support the inner wall of the ridge during the seaming operation.

According. to a further feature of the invention a seaming roller is arranged to be brought into engagement with the marginal flange of the closure Vto produce interfolding thereof with the can-body and guiding means is also provided constituted by a flange on the chuck to overlap and to engage with the seaming roller so as to align the. said parts during the seaming operation. Alternatively, the guiding means may be constituted by a flange on the seaming roller to overlap and to engage with the chuck so as to align the said parts during the seaming operation.

According to another form orf the invention the guiding meansv may comprise a channel in and around the side wall of the seaming roller together with a ange on the chuck fitting the said channel so as to align the saidk parts during the seaming operation. Again, the channel may be provided in and around the side wall of the chuck and the flange'be provided on the seaming roller.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. which illustrate in diagrammatic form several different embodiments of the present invention.4

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, central sectional, view through one form of chuck and seaming roller showing the manner in which the said parts co-operate in interfolding the marginal flange of the closure with the can-body in the first stage of the seam-forming operation;

Figure 2 shows the nal stage of the seamforming operation with the same chuck as Figure 1 and another seaming roller specially adapted for the final closing of the seam;

Figure 3 illustrates the first operation with a chuck and a roller of an alternative form;

Figure 4 shows the final stage of the seaming operation utilising the modified chuck of Figure 3 and a seaming roller shaped for nal closing of the seam;

Figure 5 illustrates the first operation utilis-l ing a chuck and roller similar to the construction of Figure 3 but having a roller which is modified to secure more exact guidance with the chuck;

Figure 6 shows the first operation utilising a `Arst operation roller` similar to that of Figure 1 in conjunction with a further modified form of chuck; and

Figure 7 illustrates a further modification of v`a first-operation seaming roller.

Itis to -.be understood that in all the gures of, theaccompanying drawings the dimensions ofthe parts are much exaggerated and that for the sake of clarity substantial Vclearances are shown between certain of the parts although no such .clearances occur in practice.

Referring toFigurel, II represents a canbody havinga flared lip I2 at its end. The endclcsure is of the form which constitutes the sub- Aject-,matter of my copending United States Patent application Serial No. 191,230 led February ,18g 19,38 andr includesa depressed central portion I3, an upstanding wall I4, a marginal flange .I5'and a hollow ridge I64 upset within theflange k.I5 13.0 provide a space I1 which houses a rip-wire .I8. The ridgeV IS is spaced somewhat from the upper edge of Vthe wall I4 so as todivide olf a portion of the flange I5 as a narrow inner shoulder I9. It will be appreciated that the said parts extend aroundthe whole of the end-closure and can-body as described in my said copending application. For the purposes of this invention, it .'isfthought sufficient, however, to describe and to show only the present fragmentary portion of ,the closure and `can-body.

. As described in the said prior application, the .interior of the ridge I6 is shaped to present a nondivergent substantially cylindrical inner wall 20 which is joined to a curved outer-Wall 2 I, the said walls joining substantially at right-angles and the metal ofthe ridge I6 being reduced in thickness at the line of joining at the two walls to provide a line of weakness in the ridge t0 facilitate ripping of the metal by the rip-wire I 8 when the can 4is to .beopened.

A' chuck,22 nts within the central depressed -portion ,I3 and lies in Contact with the wall I4 to support the latter during the seaming operation. According to the present invention the ich'uck 2.2 is provided with a marginal or peripheral step 23 which overlaps the shoulder I9 and nts against the inner face of the ridge I6..

YAfirst-operation seaming roller 24 is mounted for rotation about a spindle 25 which in turn may be'mounted so as to revolve planet-wise -about the chuck 2 2 (which is stationary) as in such time as the flange 21 is advancing ternatively, the chuck, closure and can-body may revolve upon its own axis and roller 24 rotate about the spindle 25. In either case, the seaming roller is pressed into engagement with the marginal flange of the closure by means not shown.

In Figure 1 the seaming roller is shown as provided with a continuous seaming surface 26 running into the underside of a flange 21 which extends over the top of the chuck 22 in contact with the upper surface of the step 23. The underside of the flange 21 is inclined away slightly from the plane at right-angles to the spindle 25 so as to diverge upwardly in the form of a very shallow cone. The contour of the seaming surface 26 is similar to the conventional form of surface for a rst-operation roller except that in the present case the surface is slightly wider than that of the normal seaming roller in order to accommodate the increased height of the chuck 22 occasioned by use of the step portion `23. y

rFhe seaming roller is shown in a position relatively to the chuck which occurs approximately half-way through the first seaming operation. 'Ihe seaming operation is carried out in the usual way.

Prior to seaming, the marginal flange I5 is fiat and is provided with a downwardly curled edge, the lip I2 then lies against the flat underside of the flange. At the commencement of the seaming operation the seaming roller spins against the curled edge of the outstretched flange I5 and the seaming surface 26 deflects the edge of the flange I5 downwards and simultaneously curls the lip I2 until upon continued advancement of the seaming roller the said parts become interfoldecl to the extent shown in the drawings. During seaming,'the marginal flange I5 is considerably stressed and the ridge I6 conveniently strengthens the marginal flange I5 and, in conjunction with the flange 21 of the roller, holds the Ysaid flange against buckling. At the same time the step 23 maintains the shoulder I9 and supports the inner face of the ridge I6 against the thrust of the seaming roller so that the ripwire I8 is kept in its proper position at the top of the space I1. During the latter part of the first seaming operation the flange 21 of the roller overlaps the step 23 of the chuck 22 and serves to guide the roller to ensure rotation of the roller without any tendency for the roller to partake of rocking movement about an imaginary axis at right-angles to the spindle 25. The extent of advancement of the seaming roller during the rst operation is such as to obtain practically complete interfolding of the parts I2 and I5; at the end of the rst operation the bottom edge 28 of the seaming roller should lie closely adjacent to the can-body I2. During across the step 23A the roller is being raised upwards slightly owing to the coning of the underside of the flange 21. Metal from the flange I5 is thereby fed up into the seam.

Figure 2 shows a final seaming roller 34 with the parts in the position which they assume soon after the beginning of the nal seaming opera tion. Y The seaming roller is mounted for rotation on a spindle 35 and is provided with a seaming surface 36, a flange 31, and shallow con- 'ical underside for overlapping the chuck. The

surface 3B is similar to the normal final operation 'seaming surface but is increased in depth to allow for the depth of the ridge I6. The seaming roller is advanced to the left of the position shown until the seam closes completely. As in the first seaming operation the taper on the underside of the ange 31 causes the roller to rise slightly in reaching its nal position so feeding more of the flange l into the space between the lip l2 and the can-body l l. In the finished seam the rip wire is located in the correct position for cutting through the apex of the ridge i6 and is also completely isolated from the contents of the can being held snugly in the compressed ridge. The shoulder l@ is also maintained until the finish of the seam.

If desired, the chuck employed during the first operation may be changed prior to the second or i employing a chuck of this form the nished seam can be reduced in depth as compared with that produced in accordance with Figure 2 since the flange 31 of the seaming roller is able to act directly upon the top of the ridge to feed metal into the side of the seam from which it becomes spun up into the seam.

In the embodiment of Figure 3 the chuck comprises a. body portion 12 provided with a step 43 which is extended as a iiange i4 to overlap a first-operation searning roller 45. The seaming surface of roller i5 is in this case divided into a major portion which is shaped to spin the marginal flange l5 into interfolded relationship with the lip l2 of the can-body and a minor portion 41 to Iact separately upon the outer-wall of the ridge l5 towards the end 0f the first operation. The flange 44 takes the place of the flange 21 of the seaming roller of Figure 1 and is made with a flat underface to contact with a flat face at the top of the seaming roller so as accurately to align the roller with the chuck during seaming. The slight ridge on the seaming roller providing the transition between surfaces 48 and 41 acts, towards the end of the rst operation, upon the bottom of the outer-wall of the ridge l and causes the inner wall 2l of the ridge I6 to close towards the wall 20 so as to embrace the rip-wire to a greater extent than in previous constructions. The said ridge between the two surfaces 45 and 41 also acts upon the closure in the manner described just prior to the action of the surface 41 and the rip-wire is thereby held from slipping out of the ridge Iii under the action of the pressure applied from above by the surface 41.

In the construction of Figure 4, the chuck is similar to that of Figure 3, but the final seaming roller is provided with a major seaming surface 56 joined to a minor seaming surface 51, the roller 55 being guided during the final operation by the flange 44 of the chuck. As in the construction of Figure 2 the surface 5G is of such a shape as to perform the final closing operation upon the seam, but in the present construction the minor searning surface 51 acts separately upon the outer wall 2| of the ridge IS to bring it in the finished seam to a position lying closely adjacent to the wall 20.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of first operation seaming roller which is generally in accordance with the construction of Figure 3 except that the upper end of the roller is continu-ed as aange 60 to over-lie the flange 44, on the chuck. The seaming roller of Figure 5 is thereby provided With a channel El having plane parallel sides and the flange 44 of the chuck is such as to fit closely 'within the said channel so as to guide the seaming roller accurately in alignment with the chuck during the first seaming operation.

It will be understood that the construction of Figure 5 mayequally be applied to a final seam ing roller of the kind shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 6 there is shown a first operation seaming roller similar to that of Figure 1 but in this instance the chuck is provided with a flange 10 which overlies but is spaced apart from a stepped portion 1I thereby providing a circumferential channel 12 within which the ange 13 upon the searning roller may Work. The upper and lower sides of the flange 13 are plane-parallel as are also the upper and lower walls of the channel 12 in the chuck and exact alignment of the seaming roller with the chuck may thereby be secured in the seaming operation. As in Figure. 5, this modified construction may equally be applied to a final seaining roller of the kind shown in Figure 2 but as in Figure 6 the underside of the flange upon the seaming roller will beilat.

Figure '7 shows a further modified embodiment of a first operation seaming roller which includes a major -seaming surface 89 and a minor seaming surface 8l as in Figure 3 but in this instance the seaming roller itself carries a flange 82 which overlaps the upper surface of the chuck and serves to guide the seaming roller during the searning operation. It will be understood that the embodiment of Figure '1 may equally be applied to a nal searning of roller of the form shown in Figure 4.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of construction, arrangement and method of operation herein set forth as it is clear that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of the invention. Thus, as an instance of one such change it is pointed out that in the constructional form of the invention described with reference to Figure 6 the searning roller may be modified so as to include major and minor seaming portions as described with reference to Figure 3 or Figure 4.

In the foregoing specification the expression closure is intended to include either of the ends of the can-body, In other words, the closure carrying the wire may be applied to the canbody before the canister is lled, so as to constitute the bottom; or it may be applied after the canister is filled so as to constitute the top,

I claim:

l. In apparatus for seeming an end-closure of the form described having the wire-supporting wall aorded by one wall of a hollow ridge, the combination comprising a chuck to fit the depression in the end-closure to support the side walls thereof during searning, which chuck has a peripheral step shaped to engage the narrow shoulder and wire-supporting wall of the endclosure and t0 hold said shoulder and wall in place during seaming, and a seaming roller t0 engage the marginal flange of the end-closure for effecting seaming, which seaming roller is formed with a major seaming surface shaped to act on the marginal flange of the end-closure and a minor searning surface disposed at the end of the major seaming surface as viewed in cross-section taken through the axis of the seaming roller, said minor seaming surface being arranged to cooperate with the peripheral step on the chuck to act upon the outer wall of the ridge constituted by the Ychuck and seaming roller which flange engages the other of said parts during seaming to support that portion of the closure which continues outwardly from the wiresupporting wall towards the periphery of the closure.

2. YIn apparatus for seaming an end-closure of the form described having the Wire-supporting wall afforded by a wall of a hollow ridge, the combination comprising a chuck to t the depression in the end closure to support the side walls thereof during seaming, which'chuck includes a chuck body having its peripheral surface adapted to engage the side walls of said depression and a peripheral projection disposed beyond said peripheral surface and providing shoulder-engaging and wall-engaging surfaces to support respectively the narrow shoulder and the wire-supporting wall of the end-closure 'during seaming, a seaming roller for engaging the marginal flange of the end-closure to effect seaming, said seaming roller having concave annular major and minor seaming surfaces disposed respectively opposite the saidV peripheral surface of the chuck body and the said peripheral projection, and a ange on one of the parts constituted by the chuck and seaming roller which ange is adapted to overlap and engage with the other of said parts during seaming, said ange extending immediately adjacent to the peripheral projection on the chuck to support that portion of the closure which continues outwardly from the wire-supporting wall towards the periphery of the closure.

3. In apparatus for seaming an end-closure of the form described having the Wire-supporting wall afforded by a wall of a hollow ridge, the combination comprising a chuck to engage and support the side Walls of the depression in the end-closure, which chuck includes a chuck body having its peripheral surface adapted to engage yofthe closure, and a flange on one of the parts the side Walls of said depression and a peripheral projection disposed beyond said peripheral surface and providing shoulder-engaging and wallengaging surfaces to support respectively the narrow shoulder and the Wire-supporting wall of the end-closure during seaming, a seaming roller for engaging the marginal ange of the endclosure, which seaming roller has concave annular major and minor seaming surfaces adjoining one another, with the major seaming surface aligned with the sides of the chuck body and with the minor seaming surface aligned with the peripheral projection carried by the chuck, a flange on one of the parts constituted by the chuck and seaming roller, which ange engages the other of said parts during seaming and extends immediately adjacent to the peripheral projection on the chuck and serves to maintain said seaming roller with its major and minor seaming surfaces in alignment with said chuck body and perpiheral projection.

4. In apparatus for seaming an end closure of the form described, the combination comprising a chuck having a body portion of shape to t within and support the sidewalls of the depression of the end closure and a peripheral projection extending outwardly from the top of the body portion to engage and support the shoulder and wire-supporting wall of the end closure, a seaming roller to engage the marginal flange of the end closure and in cooperation with the chuck to seam the end closure, said roller having a seaming surface aligned with and equal in depth to the depth of the peripheral surfaces of the body portion of the chuck and of the projection, and a flange on one of the parts constituted by the chuck and seaming roller said flange overlapping and engaging the other of said parts during seaming, said flange extending immediately adjacent to the peripheral projection on the chuck.

PETER BOGNER. 

